南京夫子庙

Synopsis

Overview

Nanjing Confucius Temple, also known as Nanjing Confucian Temple or Nanjing Wenmiao, is located on Gongyuan Street along the north bank of the Qinhuai River in the Qinhuai District of Nanjing. It is a temple dedicated to the worship of Confucius, the ancient Chinese thinker and educator. It is not only a significant historical and cultural landmark in Nanjing but also a core component of the Qinhuai Scenic Belt, often referred to as the "Qin...

Overview

Nanjing Confucius Temple, also known as Nanjing Confucian Temple or Nanjing Wen Temple, is located on Gongyuan Street on the north bank of the Qinhuai River in the Qinhuai District of Nanjing. It is a temple dedicated to and for worshipping Confucius, the ancient Chinese thinker and educator. It is not only an important historical and cultural landmark in Nanjing but also the core component of the Qinhuai Scenic Belt, renowned as a "Qinhuai scenic attraction." The Confucius Temple complex has weathered many changes and has now developed into a comprehensive tourist area integrating historical culture, traditional architecture, commercial entertainment, and culinary experiences. It attracts millions of domestic and international visitors annually, who come to sightsee and experience the profound cultural heritage and local customs of the ancient capital, Jinling.

History

The history of Nanjing Confucius Temple can be traced back to the first year of the Jingyou era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1034 AD). It was expanded on the site of the former Eastern Jin Dynasty Imperial Academy and was initially named the Temple of King Wenxuan. It was destroyed by war during the Jianyan era of the Southern Song Dynasty and rebuilt during the Shaoxing era, becoming the Prefectural School of Jiankang. During the Yuan Dynasty, it was changed to the Jixianglu School. In the early Ming Dynasty, it served as the Imperial Academy (Guozijian). Later, when the Imperial Academy moved to the foot of Jilong Mountain, it reverted to being the Yingtian Prefectural School. During the Qing Dynasty, it was the Jiangning Prefectural School. The Confucius Temple was destroyed four times and rebuilt five times throughout history. The last major destruction occurred in 1937 due to artillery fire from the invading Japanese army. In 1984, the Nanjing Municipal People's Government undertook a large-scale reconstruction of the Confucius Temple complex, largely restoring the Ming and Qing architectural style centered around the Dacheng Hall. Integrated with the nearby Jiangnan Examination Hall and the Qinhuai River Scenic Belt, it formed the vast Confucius Temple-Qinhuai Scenic Belt area we see today.

Main Attractions

The Confucius Temple scenic area is extensive, with numerous core buildings and surrounding attractions,主要包括:

1. Dacheng Hall: The main hall of the Confucius Temple. A bronze statue of Confucius, 4.18 meters tall (the largest bronze statue of Confucius in China), is enshrined in the center of the hall. The hall displays replicas of ancient ceremonial musical instruments like bianzhong (chime bells) and bianqing (chime stones). The walls are inlaid with colored stone mosaic murals depicting The Holy Deeds of Confucius.
2. Imperial Academy (Xuegong): Located behind the Dacheng Hall, this was the official school for cultivating talent under the imperial examination system in ancient times. It includes buildings like the Mingde Hall, Zunjing Pavilion, and Qingyun Tower. The Mingde Hall is the main building of the academy and is now often used for hosting traditional cultural activities.
3. Jiangnan Examination Hall (Separate ticket required): Located east of the Confucius Temple, this was the largest imperial examination venue in ancient China. At its peak, it contained over 20,000 examination cells. It now houses the China Imperial Examination Museum (underground section), systematically showcasing the thousand-year history of China's imperial examination system.
4. Qinhuai River Painted Pleasure Boats (Boat ride requires separate ticket): Taking a ride on an antique-style painted pleasure boat along the Qinhuai River is a classic way to experience the scenery of the "Ten-Mile Qinhuai." Along the way, one can admire the Ming and Qing-style buildings with white walls and black tiles on both banks, appreciating the意境 described by Zhu Ziqing in his essay Qinhuai River, the Sound of Oars and the Shadows of Lanterns.
5. Wuyi Lane (Black Clothes Lane): Located southwest of the Confucius Temple, it got its name because the imperial guards of the Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period were stationed here and wore black clothes. It became famous far and wide thanks to the famous line by Tang Dynasty poet Liu Yuxi: "The swallows that skimmed by painted eaves in bygone days, Are dipping now among the humble homes' doorways." The lane houses the Wang Dao and Xie An Memorial Hall.
6. Food Street and Commercial Area: The area around the Confucius Temple is densely packed with various time-honored restaurants, snack shops, and specialty stores. Jinling (Nanjing) snacks such as the "Qinhuai Eight Delicacies" (including Huangqiao Sesame Cakes and Kaiyang Dried Shredded Tofu from Yongheyuan, Jiang Youji's Beef Potstickers, etc.), Duck Blood and Vermicelli Soup, and Salted Duck can all be sampled here.

Practical Information

Below is essential practical information for visiting the Confucius Temple scenic area:

References

1. Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism Official Introduction - Confucius Temple and Qinhuai Scenic Belt:
   http://wlj.nanjing.gov.cn/njssdw/
2. Nanjing Confucius Temple Official Website, providing attraction details and event information:
   http://www.njfzm.net/
3. China Imperial Examination Museum (Jiangnan Examination Hall) Official Introduction:
   https://www.kjmuseum.org/